The Philadelphia Inquirer published an article today which explores the current redevelopment taking place in Bridgeport. It compares Bridgeport with Conshohocken, however Bridgeport appears to be focused on just attracting younger residents vs. undergoing the major overhaul that saw Conshohocken transform itself into a regional office hub, plus attract younger people. As the article points out, Bridgeport isn’t situated for office space due to its location and lack of direct access to the regional rail line. To us, it almost seems that Bridgeport’s opportunity is to become young bedroom community for King of Prussia and the Conshohockens.

Below are a few important paragraphs from the article:

Right across Fourth Street, the borough’s main drag, sits Taphouse 23, a new gastropub that offers 12 local craft beers and an outdoor patio with an artificial waterfall and fire pits. The novelty was enough to lure Sean Klugh, 32, a worker at nearby GlaxoSmithKine, to Bridgeport on a recent night.

“They’re trying to compete with Conshohocken, which is great,” he shouted over a young happy-hour crowd.

For the first time in years, Bridgeport, which occupies less than a square mile along the Schuylkill, is aiming to be a regional destination. A $130 million project to bring hundreds of residences to a barren waterfront appears to be moving forward as officials tinker with regulations to make the community a better place to live and do business.

The population is already getting younger, with the median age dropping by three years between 2000 and 2010, according to census data. The challenge facing the town is how to capture the kind of spark that made Conshohocken a business and residential hub while remaining true to itself.

You can read the full article by clicking here. The Inquirer story mentions riverfront property that O’Neill Properties is planning to redevelop with apartments and townhomes. The image at the top of this story outlines this property.